REPORT  ON  HAWAII 


OF  THE 

Commission  on  the  Orient 

OF  THE 

World’s  Sunday-school  Association 

Presented  at  the  World’s  Seventh  Sunday-school  Convention, 
Zurich,  Switzerland,  July  8-15,  1913 


The  Commission  on  the  Orient,  including  Hazvaii, 
Japan,  Korea,  China  and  the  Philippines: 

Chairman:  Mr.  H.  J,  Heinz,  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania. 

Secretary:  Mr.  Frank  L.  Brown,  247  New  York  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  James  B.  Rodgers,  D.D.,  New  York  City. 

Rev.  James  L.  McLaughlin,  Manila,  Philippine  Islands. 

Rev.  Harry  Farmer,  Manila,  Philippine  Islands. 

Rev.  W.  Nelson  Bitton,  D.D.,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  W.  H.  Lacy,  D.D.,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  E.  G.  Tewksbury,  Shanghai,  China. 

Rev.  R.  E.  Chambers,  Canton,  China. 

Rev.  Kajinosuke  Ibuka,  M.A.,  D.D.,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  H.  Kosaki,  D.D.,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  T.  Ukai,  Tokyo,  Japan. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Dunlop,  Kanazawa,  Japan. 

Rev.  George  Heber  Jones,  D.D.,  New  York. 

Rev.  S.  A.  Moffat,  D.D.,  Pyeng  Yang,  Korea. 


The  section  of  the  Oriental  Commission  Report  herein  given  appears  (in  part) 
in  “World-Wide  Sunday-school  Work,”  the  Official  Report  of  the  World’s  Seventh 
Sunday-school  Convention,  which  contains  also  similar  reports  on  Japan,  Korea, 
China  and  The  Philippines,  and  reports  of  the  Commissions  on  Continental  Europe, 
South  Africa,  India  Latin-America^  and  Mohammedan  Lands.  The  volume  con- 
tains 664  pages,  with  70  pages  of  illustrations,  and  may  he  had  for  $1  from  the 
World’s  Sunday-school  Association  (American  Section),  Metropolitan  Tower, 
New  York  City.  For  information  as  to  this  and  other  pamphlet  reprints  of  the 
Commission  Reports,  apply  to  the  same  address. 

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Rev.  W.  A.  Noble,  D.D.,  Pyeng  Yang,  Korea. 

Rev.  J.  G.  Holdcroft,  Pyeng  Yang,  Korea. 

Hon.  Wm.  R.  Castle,  Honolulu,  Hawaii. 

Mr.  Theodore  Richards,  Honolulu,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  Henry  P.  Judd,  Kahului  Maui,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  J.  F.  Cowan,  Kohala,  Hawaii. 

Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tomkins,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania. 

Rev.  H.  M.  Hamill,  D.D.,  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

Rev.  Dillon  Bronson,  D.D.,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Hon.  Samuel  B.  Capen,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Rev.  Fred  P.  Haggard,  D.D.,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

Rev.  J.  Ross  Stevenson,  D.D.,  Baltimore,  Maryland. 

In  that  part  of  the  Orient  represented  in  the  report  of  this  com- 
mission, namely,  Hawaii,  Japan,  Korea,  Philippines,  China,  we  have 
an  aggregate  population  of  500,000,000,  one  third  of  the  human  race. 
Against  the  mass  we  place  the  Bible  school  membership  of  these  coun- 
tries— 500,000.  But  in  doing  so  we  do  not  forget  David  and  Goliath 
and  the  pebbles  of  God’s  word,  nor  Gideon  and  his  band,  nor  the 
great  promise  that  “one  shall  chase  a thousand,”  the  exact  propor- 
tions of  this  contrast,  and  as  we  recall  that  “two  shall  put  ten  thou- 
sand to  flight,”  we  thank  God  for  the  margin  and  move  on. 

In  the  Orient  we  are  standing  at  the  most  marvelous  moment  in 
Christian  history.  The  time-worn  religions  of  these  countries  are 
crumbling.  They  are  not  suflBcient  for  the  modern  life.  They  do  not 
relate  morality  and  religion.  The  light  of  education  is  dissolving  the 
awful  shadows  of  superstitions  that  have  for  centuries  blighted  the 
individual  and  the  home.  The  educated  young  people  of  these  countries, 
the  hope  of  the  future,  are  refusing  en  masse  the  claims  of  the 
old  religions  and  stand  facing  the  new  day  without  any  religion  ex- 
cept as  they  have  known  Christ.  The  educators  and  national  leaders 
are  facing  the  alternative  of  constructing  nations  without  a foundation 
in  moral  or  religious  character,  or  to  build  upon  Christ  The  priest- 
hood of  the  old  religions,  affrighted  by  their  loss  of  grip,  are  making 
futile  efforts  to  retrieve  lost  ground,  and  by  feeble  imitations  of  Chris- 
tian methods  are  seeking  to  galvanize  the  corpse  into  life. 

The  solemn  question  comes  to  this  generation.  Shall  we  allow  this 
wonderful  moment  when  the  steel  is  in  the  making,  when  the  great 
purpose  of  the  coming  and  the  death  of  Christ  can  be  fulfilled  to 
these  people,  to  pass  by,  never  to  be  regained?  Or  shall  we  count 
ourselves  the  trustees  of  the  Cross  for  this  generation  and  legislate 


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and  give  of  life  and  means  and  prayer  to  save  a race?  If  we  fail  to 
do  this  we  have  robbed  the  people  of  their  inheritance. 

The  problems  of  the  Orient  are  at  once  the  most  stupendous  and 
fascinating  in  the  world’s  thinking;  stupendous  because  of  the  enor- 
mous populations  involved;  fascinating  because  dealing  with  ancient 
civilizations  at  the  most  strategic  moment  in  all  their  age  long  history. 
The  impact  of  the  West,  and  a Christian  West,  is  swaying  this  mass 
of  humanity  toward  Christ.  Eager  hands  are  held  out  toward  the 
Christian  leadership  of  the  world  asking  for  help  adequate  to  the 
great  need  for  uplift.  Undismayed  by  the  greatness  of  the  task,  with 
absolute  confidence  in  the  suflSciency  of  Christ,  the  Sunday-school 
forces  of  the  world  hold  out  to  the  myriads  of  these  countries  the 
uncorrupted  Word  of  God  as  the  Bread  of  Life  for  their  hunger — as 
fed  to  each  life  by  the  hands  of  the  living  teacher  in  the  institution 
of  the  Sunday-school,  and  the  ideals  of  that  Book  as  the  best  motives 
and  safeguards  of  the  individual,  the  home,  the  community  and  nation. 

There  have  been  Sunday-schools  in  the  Orient  from  the  advent  of 
the  first  missionary.  Bible  instruction  for  the  children  has  gone  hand 
in  hand  with  the  work  for  adults.  These  missionaries  had,  most  of 
them,  received  their  call  to  service  and  first  training  in  the  Book  while 
in  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  homeland.  They  have  made  the  Sunday- 
school  an  important  part  of  the  work  of  missions.  ; 

The  character  of  this  Sunday-school  work,  as  conducted  by  the  mis- 
sionaries, was  shaped  by  the  form  of  the  Sunday-school  at  the  time 
when  they  left  the  homeland,  and  by  the  necessities  of  the  environ- 
ment of  the  native  Sunday-school  work,  an  environment  circumscribed 
by  limited  quarters,  lack  of  lesson  material  and  quality  and  number 
of  teachers. 

The  missionary  was  frequently  the  only  teacher  and  the  Bible  lesson 
taught  to  all  ages  at  one  time,  and  the  dome  of  the  building  God's  blue 
sky.  As  children  and  parents  were  alike  ignorant  of  the  Bible  this 
simple  plan  of  Sunday-school  work  was  effective. 

With  the  growth  of  the  native  church  and  the  educational  work  of 
missions  the  work  of  Bible  instruction  through  the  Sunday-school 
assumed  certain  fixed  forms  in  the  Orient. 

1.  The  Sunday-school  attached  to  the  organized  church,  more  or  less 

graded  according  to  local  conditions  and  leadership. 

2.  The  Sunday-school  composed  of  members  of  Christian  secondary 

schools  and  colleges,  and  taught  largely  by  the  teachers  of  such 
institutions. 


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3.  The  Sunday-school  composed  largely  of  scholars  in  attendance  at 

the  primary  Christian  day  schools  and  taught  usually  by  the 
day  school  teachers,  the  attendance  at  Sunday-school  a condi- 
tion often  of  membership  in  the  school.  The  Bible  is  a text- 
book in  such  schools. 

4.  Missionary  Sunday-schools  of  children  of  non-Christian  parents 

sometimes  called  “heathen”  Sunday-schools,  these  schools  estab- 
lished and  maintained  by  churches  or  secondary  schools  and  col- 
leges, and  taught  by  the  students  in  such  institutions  or  by 
missionaries. 

Several  outstanding  needs  of  the  field  were  clearly  formulated  when 
the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association,  following  the  presentation  of 
the  subject  at  the  Toronto  Convention  eight  years  ago,  began  to  plan 
for  the  Orient. 

1.  Such  organization  of  the  field  as  should  bring  together  the  mis- 

sionaries and  native  workers  in  interdenominational  coopera- 
tive effort  in  order  to  bring  to  bear  the  most  help  possible  for 
the  "local  Sunday-school  and  the  local  Sunday-school  worker. 

2.  The  development  of  an  adequate  literature  for  the  field. 

3.  The  training  of  a Sunday-school  leadership  through  the  theo- 

logical seminary  and  Christian  educational  institutions  and 
churches. 

4.  The  need  of  a vision  of  the  Sunday-school  as  the  Bible  teaching 

service  for  the  entire  church  and  community  as  the  surest  and 
sanest  method  for  the  evangelization  and  training  of  the  Orient 

In  1906  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association,  in  cooperation  with 
the  missionary  organizations,  sent  a commissioner  to  Hawaii,  Japan, 
Korea  and  China  to  ascertain  conditions  and  assist  in  developing  these 
objects,  namely,  organization,  literature,  leadership,  vision.  In  1911  a 
commissioner  visited  these  fields  and  the  Philippines.  Organization  was 
effected,  institutes  held,  methods  suggested,  exhibits  shown,  inspira- 
tion given,  and  the  missionaries  and  native  workers  felt  the  heart- 
beat and  hand-clasp  of  the  organized  Sunday-school  work  as  members 
of  the  world’s  Sunday-school  family. 

This  vital  touch  upon  the  five  fields  represented  in  this  report  has 
been  increased  by  the  World’s  Sunday-school  Association  through  the 
furnishing  of  secretaries,  by  the  development  of  headquarters  at  centers, 
through  correspondence  and  literature. 

In  the  development  of  the  work  of  Commission  No.  4 on  the  Con- 
ditions, Needs  and  Opportunity  of  Sunday-school  work  in  the  Orient 
the  following  plans  have  been  employed : 


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1.  The  best  expert  knowledge  was  obtained  from  secretaries  of  mis- 

sion boards  conversant  with  the  field,  from  laymen  and  others 
who  had  visited  these  countries,  and  from  missionaries  from 
the  fields  who  were  on  furlough  in  America. 

2.  An  all-day  conference  was  called  by  the  chairman  in  Philadel- 

phia of  those  most  closely  informed  as  to  actual  conditions, 
such  as  Bishop  Harris,  of  Japan  and  Korea;  Dr.  George  Heber 
Jones  of  Korea;  Dr.  Gamewell  of  China,  and  Rev.  James 
McLaughlin  of  the  Philippines.  Some  who  could  not  be  pres- 
ent, such  as  Bishop  Bashford  of  China,  and  Bishop  Oldham 
of  the  Philippines,  sent  valuable  communications. 

3.  Commissions  related  to  the  General  Commission  were  formed  in 

each  of  the  five  fields  under  investigation,  and  consisted  of 
some  of  the  best  Sunday-school  leadership  in  each  country. 
These  commissions  developed  information  by  means  of  ques- 
tionnaires sent  out  to  native  workers  in  the  language  of  each 
field,  covering  so  far  as  possible  every  Sunday-school  and  the 
key  workers  in  these  countries.  Each  of  these  local  commis- 
sions has  made  its  own  report  to  the  General  Commission. 

4.  Questionnaires  were  sent  to  the  key  missionaries  in  the  five 

countries. 

5.  Members  of  the  Commission  used  the  opportunity  of  the  recent 

commission  tour  to  the  Orient  to  confer  with  leaders  and  ob- 
serve conditions. 

The  result  of  these  investigations,  conferences,  reports  and  obser- 
vations as  related  to  each  field  is  represented  herewith  with  specific 
recommendations  for  the  guidance  of  those  interested  in  these  coun- 
tries. Each  field  has  its  peculiar  conditions  and  needs  growing  out  of 
the  relation  of  religious  education  to  the  customs  of  the  people,  prog- 
ress in  general  education,  attitude  of  the  authorities,  and  vitality  of 
other  religions. 

In  general,  it  may  be  stated  concerning  these  countries  of  the  Orient: 

1.  That  the  Sunday-school  is  the  line  of  least  resistance  in  the 

progress  of  the  kingdom. 

2.  The  opportunity  of  great  Sunday-school  expansion  is  limited  only 

by  lack  of  men,  means  and  methods. 

3.  The  Sunday-school  is  the  natural  link  in  the  reaching  of  the  home. 

The  love  of  the  Oriental  for  children  is  God’s  open  way. 

4.  The  Sunday-school  is  absolutely  needed  as  a feeder  for  the 

church,  as  a source  of  supply  of  material  for  church  educational 
institutions  and  as  the  opportunity  of  training  a leadership  and 
membership  grounded  on  the  Word  of  God  from  their  youth. 


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HAWAIIAN  ISLANDS 

The  Hawaiian  Islands  illustrate  missions  in  miniature.  They  are 
near  enough  to  America  to  have  caught  the  spirit  of  Sunday-school 
progress  which  has  been  so  conspicuous  in  the  last  two  decades,  and 
the  leaders  of  the  work  in  these  beautiful  islands  have  imparted  to  their 
Sunday-school  work  something  of  the  thoroughness  and  high  quality 
which  has  made  the  general  mission  work  of  the  islands  the  finest  in 
the  world.  The  wealth  of  Hawaii  is  largely  Christian  wealth,  and  is 
devoted  with  a wonderful  generosity  to  the  moral  and  spiritual  uplift 
and  educational  development  of  the  dozen  or  more  nationalities  that 
have  drifted  here.  The  islands  are  filled  with  splendid  educational  and 
church  and  benevolent  institutions  that  illustrate  the  results  of  Chris- 
tian missions  in  an  unmistakable  way.  At  the  helm  of  the  commercial 
and  industrial  and  civic  life  of  the  islands  are  the  descendants  of  the 
missionaries  and  early  Christians. 

Hand  in  hand  with  the  Christian  work  in  the  cities  and  on  the  plan- 
tations from  earliest  years  has  gone  the  hand-maid  of  education.  The 
figures  which  are  given  later  indicate  that  practically  one-fourth  of 
the  schools  are  privately  founded.  In  all  these  schools  loyalty  to  the 
United  States  Government  and  flag  is  taught,  and  one  of  the  most 
thrilling  sights  to  be  witnessed  anywhere  is  to  see  these  children  of 
diverse  races  salute  the  flag  of  the  country  and  sing  the  National 
Anthem. 

The  statistical  figures  indicate  that  one-half  of  the  public  school 
pupils  are  members  of  Protestant  Sunday-schools,  while  officers  and 
teachers  in  the  Sunday-schools  number  1,237,  as  against  882  day  school 
teachers.  Portuguese,  Chinese,  German,  Japanese,  British  and  part 
Hawaiians  number  427,  or  practically  one-half  of  the  public  school  in- 
structors. 

The  spirit  of  denominational  cooperation  evidenced  here  may  well 
stand  as  an  encouraging  example  for  all  fields.  And  this  has  been 
matched  by  a local  pride  in  the  development  of  their  work  and  by  a 
sense  of  deep  responsibility  for  the  cultivation  of  their  special  field. 

There  is  a deep-seated  determination  to  produce  in  these  islands  of 
the  mid-Pacific,  the  highway  of  nations,  in  the  flux  of  commerce,  and 
bound  to  become  of  increasing  importance  with  the  opening  of  the 
Panama  Canal,  types  of  Christian  work  that  shall  catch  the  attention 
of  the  nations,  and  to  train  here  a leadership  from  the  bright  young 
people  of  the  islands  that  shall  become  the  evangels  for  the  Orient. 
And  the  Sunday-school  is  to  be  one  of  these  types  of  advanced  work 


7 


to  be  brought  to  its  best  by  the  cooperation  of  the  World’s  Sunday- 
school  Association  with  the  workers  of  the  islands. 

The  report  of  the  members  of  the  commission  residing  in  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands  contains  much  that  is  informing  and  inspirational.  The 
summary  of  the  painstaking  investigation  as  to  Sunday-school  condi- 
tions, needs  and  opportunities  of  the  islands  is  now  presented. 

World’s  Sunday-school  Association 

Report  on  the  Sunday-schools  of  Hawaii,  made  by  Rev.  H.  P.  Judd, 
Convener  of  the  Commission  to  study  the  Sunday-schools  of  Hawaii : 

I.  Statistical 

1.  Sunday-schools. 

(a)  Number  of  schools,  198,  as  follows: 


Christian  1 

Episcopalian  22 

Congregational  144 

Methodist  31 


Salvation  Army 


198 

(1)  In  cities,  35,  as  follows: 

Christian  1 

Episcopalian  12 

Congregational  18 

Methodist  4 

(2)  In  villages  and  country,  163,  as  follows: 

Christian  0 

Episcopalian  10 

Congregational  126 

Methodist  27 

(b)  Character  of  Schools : 

(1)  Church  Sunday-schools 190 

(2)  Educational  Institution  Sunday-schools 2 

(3)  Mission  Schools 6 


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2.  Membership. 


Officers  and  teachers  1,237 

Pupils  15,071 

Cradle  Roll  (about)  300 

Home  Department  (incomplete  returns) 

Total  16,608 


This  membership  is  sub-divided  as  follows : 


T eachers  and 

Officers 

Pupils 

Christian  

12 

129 

Episcopalian  

92 

1,396 

Congregational  

901 

8,938 

Methodist  

1,738 

Salvation  Army  

66 

2,870 

The  Day  Schools  of  Hawaii 

1 Normal. 

2 High. 

3 Industrial. 

151  Primary  and  Grammar. 

51  Private  schools. 

There  is  a total  number  of  pupils  of  29,909. 


Teachers 

198  males  and  684  females,  a total  of  882  in  all  schools. 


Americans  426 

Part  Hawaiian  183 

Hawaiian  83 

Portuguese  57 

British  47 

Chinese  30 

German  15 

Japanese  12 

Others  29 


Total  spent  last  year  on  public  schools  was  $630,364.65,  or  $26.25  per 
pupil. 


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Percentage  of  race  in  public  school  students : Hawaiian,  14.22 ; part 
Hawaiian,  13.62;  American,  3.90;  British,  .45;  German,  1.03;  Portu- 
guese, 17.82;  Japanese,  31.09;  Chinese,  10.94;  Porto  Rican,  1.94;  Korean, 
1.32;  others,  3.66. 

II.  Sunday-school  Equipment 

1.  Buildings. 

The  majority  of  the  schools  hold  their  services  in  church  buildings. 
The  two  educational  institutions  that  have  Sunday-schools  hold  their 
sessions  in  their  school  buildings  and  the  six  mission  Sunday-schools 
hold  their  meetings  in  the  mission  halls. 

2.  Equipment. 

Fifty-six  out  of  the  198  schools  are  using  a blackboard ; sixty-one 
organs  are  reported,  and  twenty-two  pianos  and  ten  libraries.  A wide 
range  of  lesson  helps  is  used  by  the  pupils  and  teachers.  Many  use 
the  Pilgrim  Press  literature,  others  the  D.  C.  Cook  Company  literature, 
the  graded  Sunday-school  material  and  the  Blakeslee  lessons.  The 
fact  that  English  is  taught  in  the  schools  makes  the  best  Sunday-school 
literature  available  in  the  islands. 

Among  methods  used  to  attract  pupils  and  increase  attendance 
and  interest  are  mentioned : picture  cards ; papers ; membership  pins ; 
automobile  transportation  for  children  who  live  at  a distance  from 
Sunday-school ; “brought  one”  buttons ; school  thermometer ; rewards 
for  perfect  attendance;  picnics,  annual  or  bi-monthly;  “Cross  and 
Crown”  system ; Roll  of  Honor  badges ; Christmas  festivals ; baseball 
and  croquet ; occasional  Sunday-school  plays ; Sunday-school  contests ; 
records  and  certificates  of  credit ; birthday  reminders  by  the  birthday 
secretary;  follow  up  cards;  Band  of  Love  (sewing,  painting,  etc.) 
concerts ; and  of  largest  importance,  good  organization,  efficient  teach- 
ing and  visitation  and  proper  appliances. 

About  one-fourth  of  the  schools  report  pupils  as  a rule  have  Bibles 
of  their  own.  These  Bibles  are  used  considerably  in  the  classes,  espe- 
cially in  adult  classes. 

III.  Grading 

Forty-seven  of  the  schools  are  graded,  this  grading  being  based  on 
the  age  of  the  pupils  generally  rather  than  on  their  intellectual  capacity. 
The  country  schools  as  a rule  have  three  classes : the  primary,  the 
junior  and  intermediate  combined,  and  the  adult. 

IV.  Sunday-school  Session  and  Program 

The  usual  time  of  the  sessions  is  from  10  to  11  A.  M. ; branch 
schools  meeting  in  the  afternoon. 


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The  plan  of  exercises  covers  the  familiar  lines  of  hymns,  prayer, 
Scripture  reading.  Superintendent’s  talk  or  review,  reports  of  Secre- 
tary and  Treasurer,  hymn  and  closing  prayer.  The  music  is  some- 
times varied  with  quartet  or  chorus  work.  One  school  makes  a not- 
able exception  in  its  exercises  by  dividing  the  entire  school  into  two 
sections,  set  in  antiphonal  relations  to  each  other.  One  of  the  sets 
is  called  Boaz  (strength),  the  other  set  Jachim  (endurance).  The 
singing  and  Psalm  work  is  conducted  responsively  and  antiphonally. 
It  is  aimed  to  have  a new  Psalm  memorized  each  month.  Each  set 
competes  in  attendance,  music  and  the  memorizing  of  the  Psalm.  In 
this  same  school  a monthly  tramp  or  social  is  planned.  A printed 
list  of  requirements  is  furnished  and  subjects  selected  for  a test  for 
passing  up. 

Scripture  memorizing  is  a feature  in  many  schools.  With  the  Orien- 
tals especially  this  is  a favorite  exercise.  The  Psalms,  Beatitudes  and 
the  Ten  Commandments  are  staple  forms  of  memorization. 

V.  The  Pastor  and  His  Work 

There  is  but  one  theological  seminary  and  this  one  is  at  Honolulu. 
This  seminary  is  in  line  with  so  many  others  in  failing  to  give  the 
pastor  a complete  vision  of  his  Sunday-school  work  by  special  courses 
in  pedagogy,  psychology  and  Sunday-school  management. 

Pastors,  however,  in  the  islands  usually  attend  the  Sunday-school 
session  but  they  do  not  generally  lead  teachers’  meetings. 

VI.  Superintendent 

Special  training  of  the  superintendent  is  not  attempted  through  cor- 
respondence or  reading  courses.  While  there  are  no  summer  schools, 
Sunday-school  institutes  are  held  throughout  the  islands  in  charge  of 
Rev.  H.  P.  Judd,  the  International  representative,  the  object  of  these 
being  to  train  superintendents  and  teachers  to  higher  efl5ciency.  Only 
about  ten  of  the  schools  are  superintended  by  pastors,  the  balance 
being  laymen  drawn  from  the  church  membership. 

VII.  Teachers 

About  90  per  cent,  of  the  teachers  are  drawn  from  the  church  mem- 
bership, a few  being  supplied  from  educational  institutions.  The 
young  men  from  one  of  these  institutions  make  it  a business  to  supply 
the  teaching  force  for  mission  and  plantation  Sunday-schools. 


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While  there  are  no  training  courses,  as  such,  used  by  teachers  gen- 
erally, many  individual  teachers  read  books  along  this  line  and  keep 
up  with  the  best  Sunday-school  material  and  methods. 

The  work  of  the  Honolulu  Bible-Training  School,  founded  by  Mr. 
Theodore  Richards,  deserves  special  emphasis.  Since  1904,  72  have 
been  graduated  with  diplomas  and  appropriate  graduation  exercises. 
The  largest  class  was  the  last,  with  17  graduates.  A great  many  of 
these  are  now  teaching;  the  Kawaiahao  Sunday-school  being  largely 
made  up  of  such  teachers.  The  nationalities  represented  in  the  Train- 
ing School  are:  Hawaiian  (27),  Chinese  (24),  Korean  (6),  Japanese 
(5),  Portuguese  (4),  Porto  Rican  (1),  and  various  races  (16).  The 
first  year’s  course  is  in  the  hands  of  Prof.  Edgar  Wood,  Principal  of 
the  Normal  School.  He  deals  with  Old  Testament  history  and  Geo- 
graphy, and  uses  for  his  text-books  the  Bible  and  maps,  with  oc- 
casional use  of  Hurlbut’s  Normal  Lessons. 

The  second  year  is  in  the  hands  of  Miss  A.  S.  Varney,  whose  sub- 
ject is  “The  Life  of  Christ.”  She  uses  “His  Life”  and  Hurlbut’s  “Re- 
vised Normal  Lessons.” 

The  third  year,  in  charge  of  Miss  Ida  McDonald  is  a practice  year. 
A class  is  brought  in  each  Sunday  and  taught  by  a pupil  teacher  and 
the  work  criticised  after  the  departure  of  the  class. 

VHI.  Pupils 

Forty-eight  Sunday-schools  undertake  home  visitations.  Forty-one 
report  social  plans  and  picnics.  Nine  are  developing  the  pupils  athleti- 
cally, and  twenty-five  are  pushing  plans  for  literary  and  musical  interest. 

One-fourth  of  the  schools  distribute  papers  or  cards  to  pupils,  the 
papers  including  the  Sunbeam,  Young  Churchman,  Little  Learners, 
Dewdrops,  Mayflower,  Boys’  Hour  and  GirlY  Companion. 

Special  forms  of  service  are  undertaken  by  some  of  the  schools,  such 
as  the  support  of  a girl  in  India,  support  of  needy  boys  and  girls  in 
school,  visitation  and  care  of  the  sick  and  poor. 

IX.  The  Homes 

The  measure  of  cooperation  with  the  Sunday-school  by  parents  varies 
of  course  in  different  localities;  in  some  places  such  cooperation  being 
considerable,  in  others  less.  The  average  of  Christian  homes  is  marked 
— say  two-thirds.  The  industrial  and  social  conditions  of  the  Islands, 
on  the  plantations  and  elsewhere,  do  not  deter  from  Sunday-school 
attendance  and  interest.  One  worker  sums  up  tersely  the  general 


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agreement  as  to  the  Sunday-school,  “It  is  the  greatest  lever,  often- 
times, whereby  to  gain  entrance  into  non-Christian  homes  and  is  a 
powerful  agency  for  the  spreading  of  the  Gospel.”  The  homes  are 
accessible  as  a rule  to  the  visit  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher. 

X.  Public  Attitude  Toward  the  Sunday-school 

This  attitude  is  favorable.  In  many  of  the  public  schools  the  prin- 
cipal reads  verses  from  the  Scriptures  without  comment,  as  allowed  by 
law,  and  leads  in  the  Lord’s  Prayer.  In  the  old  days  in  these  islands 
religious  instruction  was  imparted  in  the  public  schools.  Public  educa- 
tors and  officials  feel  and  express  the  need  of  religious  education  that 
shall  produce  character.  Many  of  the  public  school  teachers  here  do 
noble  and  faithful  work  as  teachers  in  the  Sunday-school. 

XI.  Other  Religious  Systems  and  the  Sunday-school. 

Buddhists,  Mormons  and  Roman  Catholics  have  schools  for  the 
teaching  of  children.  The  Mormons  have  week-day  classes  of  instruc- 
tion, using  our  Bibles  and  hymn-books.  The  Japanese  Buddhists  have 
schools  like  our  Sunday-schools  in  outward  form  and  the  Roman  Catho- 
lics have  Sunday-schools.  These  schools  do  not  attract  attendance  from 
the  Protestant  schools. 

XII.  The  Church  and  the  Sunday-school 

The  Sunday-school  here,  as  elsewhere,  is  vital  to  the  life  of  the 
church,  supplying  85  per  cent,  of  the  church  membership.  While  the 
doors  are  open  for  the  establishment  of  new  schools,  the  cities  have 
already  enough  schools  for  the  population,  while  there  are  a few 
places  in  the  country  districts  of  Hawaii  where  new  schools  might  be 
started  to  advantage.  The  large  need,  however,  is  not  for  new  schools, 
but  for  new  life  in  the  old  schools,  some  of  which  are  fifty  years  old 
or  more. 

XIII.  Sunday-school  Support 

The  Sunday-schools  are  supported  for  the  most  part  by  the  Sunday- 
school  offerings  or  church  donations.  The  missionary  boards  do  not 
as  a rule  make  special  provisions  here  for  Sunday-school  literature, 
equipment  or  lesson  helps. 

The  salary  of  the  Rev.  H.  P.  Judd,  Superintendent  of  Sunday-school 
work  for  the  Hawaiian  Evangelical  Association,  is  provided  by  a mis- 
sionary board  through  the  gift  of  friends. 


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To  a small  extent  missionaries  pay  individually  to  assist  those  unable 
to  pay  for  their  own  supplies.  The  lack  of  facilities  through  lack  of 
funds  is  felt  to  be  a drawback  in  Sunday-school  progress. 

XIV.  General 

The  next  ten  years  are  felt  to  be  strategic  for  a Sunday-school  ad- 
vance, because  the  future  of  the  church  depends  here  in  large  measure 
upon  the  Sunday-school.  The  expressed  needs  of  the  workers  in  order 
to  get  in  line  for  such  an  advance  are : Efficient  organization  of  the 
Sunday-schools,  with  scientific  grading ; a unified  system  of  instruction ; 
emphasis  on  catechetical  form  of  imparting  religious  truth  and  be- 
liefs ; heartier  cooperation  of  parents ; a vastly  more  intensive  study  of 
conditions  surrounding  the  children;  cooperation  of  government  of- 
ficers and  teachers  as  teachers  of  the  Sunday-schools;  holding  the 
children  through  the  “teen”  years;  workers’  conferences;  trained  super- 
intendents and,  above  all,  trained,  devoted,  spiritual  teachers  educated 
in  Hawaii  and  with  a love  for  Orientals. 

In  assisting  such  Sunday-school  advance  the  Sunday-school  conven- 
tion, and  especially  the  Sunday-school  institute,  it  is  felt  must  play  a 
considerable  part  in  awakening  interest,  obtaining  inspiration  through 
the  experience  of  others,  suggestion  of  better  methods,  broadening 
vision.  One  worker  frankly  says  that  the  possibilities  of  the  Sunday- 
school  have  not  yet  gripped  the  people  of  Hawaii. 

XV.  Conclusions  and  Recommendations 

(a)  The  strong  denominational  position  in  the  Islands  would  seem 
to  make  unnecessary  the  employment  of  an  interdenominational  secre- 
tary for  this  field.  Mr.  Judd  has  recently  been  placed  upon  the  field 
as  a Sunday-school  specialist  representing  the  largest  denominational 
interest,  the  Hawaiian  Evangelical  Association.  The  Methodist  and 
Episcopalian  schools  represent  largely  the  balance  of  the  work.  The 
Union  spirit  is  excellent  and  the  annual  visits  of  a field  worker  from 
America  should  supply  for  the  present  the  needed  stimulus  of  the 
touch  and  methods  from  the  broader  field. 

(b)  The  repeatedly  expressed  need  for  trained  teachers  here  should 
cause  the  Hawaiian  Association  and  denominational  workers  to  set 
a goal  for  the  training  of  every  teacher  through  recognized  training 
courses,  and  the  presentation  to  such  students  of  International  Teacher- 
Training  Certificates  at  the  proper  convention.  Normal  classes  of 
young  people  should  be  encouraged  in  every  Sunday-school. 


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(c)  The  theological  seminaries  and  the  Christian  educational  insti- 
tutions should  introduce  special  courses  of  study  and  reading  upon 
Sunday-school  pedagogy  and  management,  to  equip  future  workers  in 
Sunday-school  service. 

(d)  Standard  goals  should  be  erected  for  attainment  by  every  Sun- 
day-school and  such  attainment  recognized  in  an  impressive  way  by  the 
Association. 

(e)  The  general  use  of  the  Bible  in  the  Sunday-schools  needs  encour- 
agement and  more  thorough  drill  work  in  essential  outstanding  pass- 
ages. 


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